Weighing in!
Monique Samuels saw firsthand the ups and downs of Ashley and Michael Darby’s marriage. So, it’s not surprising she’s sharing her feelings about their split in a new interview. The former Real Housewives of Potomac star also gives an update on how Ashley is coping amid the split.
“It wasn’t a surprise to me because Ashley and I keep in touch. So we had been talking, so I knew there were some issues,” Monique tells Us Weekly.
She adds that despite her insider knowledge she was still shocked by the reality TV couple’s decision to end their marriage after eight years.
“I didn’t realize that it was going down that road though, honestly. I knew she expressed some things she was struggling with, but I thought there was going to be a way that they could navigate and get through it,” she admits.
As for how Ashley is coping, Monique tells Page Six, “She’s doing good. The reason why Ashley and I get along so well is because we both focus on what we want the outcome to be.”
“We don’t sit and sulk,” she continues. “So with her, she’s going to be like, ‘OK, this is the decision I made. I’m going to keep it moving.’ And that’s what she’s doing.”
“Ashley is the most positive person I know. And I know one thing about her and Michael, they work well together,” she adds. “So if they made this decision to separate, it’s because going forward, they know they’re going to be OK — whether that’s OK together or whether that’s OK co-parenting.”
Monique notes that she and her husband Chris Samuels have vowed to “be there” for Ashley as she journeys into her new life as a single mom.
“I just encourage her and just reiterate, ‘I know that you’re making the best decision that you know that you should make for yourself and your children. And I’m here for you. Chris and I are here for you,’” Monique says. “And she knows that.”
RHOP is expected to wrap filming for season 7 at the end of the summer. The season is likely to premiere in late 2022 or early 2023.